Biochemistry

Contents

Description

Biochemistry is the study of all biological and chemical aspects regarding the Apocalypse. It will not only focus on the alien entities but also in their organic equipment and environment.

Ultimately, Biochemistry will provide X-COM with the answer to defeat the aliens but it will also require advances on Quantum Physics to be able to acomplish this goal.

No more than 10 biochemists are needed to handle all research topics and get the Toxigun as early as possible. It is recommended to get them working ASAP by building a second small lab, to take advantage of the huge number of topics available early game. After finishing the Advanced Lab both small labs can be safely dismantled, as the large lab will have more than enough spare time to handle all the remaining topics.

Projects

Note that aliens must each be researched twice, once each for their living and dead states.

Suggested Research Path

Biochemistry research is extremely important in the early part of the game. After your Bio-Transport Module is researched and manufactured, you should be bringing bunches of live aliens back from missions. (You are using lots of Stun Grenades, right?) Your immediate goal is Toxiguns and Toxin-B, which can kill most aliens in two or three shots, have a high rate of fire, and ignore shields. Your ultimate goal is Toxin-C.

Your research should ideally follow roughly this order:

Multiworm (or Autopsy)

Advanced Biochemistry Lab. Begin construction (ideally at your second base) as soon as research completes.

Multiworm Autopsy (or Live)

Hyperworm

Hyperworm Autopsy

Chrysalis

Chrysalis Autopsy

Multiworm Egg

Multiworm Egg Autopsy

By the time your Advanced Lab is complete, your biochemists should be finished with the above projects, unless they are horrible. After the above are complete, research the following in order:

The Alien Genetic Structure

Biological Warfare (Upon completion, begin building Toxiguns, but NOT Toxin A clips)

The Alien Life Cycle

Toxin B

From here, you ideally capture and research an example of every alien in the game alive and dead. They can be researched in any order, at which point you may research The Real Alien Threat, prerequisite to Toxin C - which makes Toxiguns the best general-purpose weapon in the game if you have the resources to keep up with producing the clips.